'Fake shops' open up ahead of the G8 summit

I think this is ridiculous. I mean who is it ment to fool?

With the globe’s most powerful figures descending on their doorstep, bringing with them the attention of the world, it is not surprising that the authorities near to next month’s G8 summit have tried to spruce the place up a bit. But officials have been accused of going too far after they plastered large stickers across boarded up shops in order to give them the appearance of still-thriving businesses.
Locals in the area have criticised the move, which they say masks the effects of the economic downturn and is a waste of resources.

I think they should be focusing more on the regeneration of Northern Ireland and less on hiding the problems. Keep going like this and we will have more fake businesses than real ones.

Link

The subject matter behind this thread is beyond the scope of my interest or knowledge...

But that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.

That is all.

I would say it is meant to fool visitors who will be passing in their limos. Logically, that is as close to these "storefronts' in commoner neighborhoods as the summit attendees will ever get.

This whole thing stinks of some deep metaphor.

Originally posted by Lady_Tuatha
I think this is ridiculous. I mean who is it ment to fool?

It will probably fool most of the brain dead anti-G8 protesters.

We'll see live footage of anarchists weeping in frustration as they break their fingernails on non-existent doors and desperately bounce bricks off fake windows.

I'm looking forward to that.

I wonder if they got planning permission to set up shop so quickly? All you need is the village idiot trying to get in.

Around here its a common thing done by the council, take a drive through Longton town centre (here in the potteries) and you'll see shop after shop done the same way as it's cheap to do, but when you've seen the same shop front for the 14th time you soon know its a fake empty shop

This is actually really creepy, and I think if this were happening in my town I would be out there tearing this rubbish down in the middle of the night, or spray painting over it at least.

Maybe it would be worth a group like UK Uncut making their own signs to paste over the "shops", with unemployment statistics, wealth disparity numbers, poverty rates, homelessness figures... give those passing in their highly secure expensive cars something more real to look at.

Originally posted by Sankari

Originally posted by Lady_Tuatha
I think this is ridiculous. I mean who is it ment to fool?

It will probably fool most of the brain dead anti-G8 protesters.

We'll see live footage of anarchists weeping in frustration as they break their fingernails on non-existent doors and desperately bounce bricks off fake windows.

I'm looking forward to that.

Did you read the article? You seem to have completely missed the point where it states these are real EMPTY shops. They have windows and doors, they are just boarded up and papered over.

I think you really need to be reading stories before you comment on them, otherwise you risk looking quite stupid.

Glad to see i'm not the only one that finds this disturbing.

It reminds me of the kind of thing that dictators of bankrupt states do, constructing empty hotels etc.

Originally posted by Rocker2013
Did you read the article? You seem to have completely missed the point where it states these are real EMPTY shops.

Yes, I got that.

They have windows and doors, they are just boarded up and papered over.

I got that too. Do you know what happens when you throw a brick at a boarded up window?

I hope Ni kicks off....iff ever there was a small country with a populace of the best stone throwers the world has ever seen it's Norn eyrlin.....

stone throwing Olympics...In first Place...NI....second...The Palestine....third...?? Take yer pick...third is as good as last and you throw like a big girls bottom.

Originally posted by Sankari

Originally posted by Rocker2013
Did you read the article? You seem to have completely missed the point where it states these are real EMPTY shops.

Yes, I got that.

They have windows and doors, they are just boarded up and papered over.

I got that too. Do you know what happens when you throw a brick at a boarded up window?

Yes, thanks.
Now do you want to start debating the weight and composition of brick needed to break through chipboard and smash a window? Shall we debate the semantics and argue over whether "boarded up" actually means with wood or is just being used as a general term meaning an empty property? Shall we bother to discuss the fact that there is a door and there are windows and your assumption was obviously wrong?

Stop trying to backtrack, you obviously thought these were stickers on brick walls. You didn't read it properly.

And yes, I argue with you on this because you are clearly likely to label all those who DARE to protest against the state as "unwashed", "hippies" and probably "commies" too. No doubt when the protests begin you'll quickly be on here demanding the water cannon be deployed and the rubber bullets be used.

You're predictable, and I find that tiresome and irritating

The emerald isle has been struggling for years, and trying to cover it up only trivializes the plight that the Irish are going through.

But it's not wholly G8s fault. Big businesses have been moving production offshore to poorer countries to escape minimum wage laws. So not only are they screwing Eire, they're screwing Bangladesh, Malaysia, and every other country that works for a pittance so their bosses can make a profit.

This is nothing new, Lisburn (another city in N.I/I) has been doing this for months now. Its to try and improve regeneration of shopping areas by keeping them looking tidy'ish......

To be honest its better than looking at unsightly mess that are derelict buildings, beyond repair.

£100 sticker or unsightly mess...you decide.

Originally posted by michaelmcclen
£100 sticker or unsightly mess...you decide.

Or, how about giving the local people the use of that space rent free? It could be a coffee shop, a creche, a community center of some kind, a youth club...

They're not making any money on it just sat there empty, and it's making the place look untidy, while attracting vandals too.

The people of that community should be given the chance to build a small business or community project for that space, not leave it empty and even spending money on it to lie about its use.

reply to post by Rocker2013


Yeah you would think they would give some of the free space to local artists to work and exhibit paintings, they are always looking for places, helping the arts.

Naw that would be too much like doing a good thing

I never thought I would see the West putting together a modern version of Potemkin Village. People used to make fun of that and really make some cutting jokes...with good reason, too.

Now, we see our own state of affairs change so much that we're making our own versions of it. I'd say the problem isn't appearance to be solved by facade and Hollywood B.S.. If the reality is that bad? Fix the reality ....but that would be too logical and the meeting here isn't about fixing anything ...is it?

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


This happens quite a bit like sweeping all the homeless and bums out of event area's ahead of things like the Olympics. Kinda funny to alter the reality of a situation to shield eyes from it... reminds me of what the Buddha's father is said to have done before he would go out on chariot rides, hide the sick and dying, the old etc. to hide that reality from him, so he did not gain compassion for his fellow man and walk a path to find a way to ease suffering.

Talk about a metaphor... shield their eyes, so they don't gain compassion or try to ease the suffering... keep them in a fantasy land of rainbows and unicorns... haha probably the most deliberately insane act I've read about all week.

Is this not normal? I see it all the time in malls and such. Been pretty common forever. The last thing you want is your shop next to an empty looking one.

reply to post by Rocker2013


They do, give the local community the empty shops and also some empty housing for community projects. I don't know what part of the UK you are from but we here in N.Ireland get all the hand outs of the day to stop us from killing each other.

Our MLAs actually work in the community and especially sinn fein who I dont like are extremely accountable, they will move mountains to get you social housing, benifits etc. They also get a lot of grants for the local communities and are always first on hand at the sight of any trouble.

Where else in the UK can claim this.